M&LC5
Plan change
Overview
What this Unit is about
This Unit is about the planning that is needed to make a
specific change or put into practice a programme of change. It
involves developing a strategy to make the change that is
needed, taking note of barriers, risks and the need to put
appropriate monitoring and communication systems in place.
Who is the Unit for?
The Unit is recommended for first line managers, middle
managers and senior managers.
Links to other Units
This Unit is closely linked to Units B6. Provide leadership in
your area of responsibility, B7. Provide leadership for your
organisation, B9. Develop the culture of your organisation,
C4. Lead change and C6. Implement change organisation
in the overall suite of National Occupational Standards for
Management and Leadership.
M&LC5 – Plan Change
1
M&LC5
Plan change
Skills
Listed below are the main generic ‘skills’ that need to be
applied in planning change. These skills are explicit/ implicit in
the detailed content of the Unit and are listed here as additional
information.
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M&LC5 – Plan Change
Communicating
Planning
Analysing
Team-building
Negotiating
Obtaining feedback
Influencing
Problem-solving
Monitoring
Risk management
Contingency-planning
Information management
Decision-making
2
M&LC5
Plan change
Performance
Criteria
You must be able
to:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
M&LC5 – Plan Change
Identify the procedures, systems, structures and roles that
need to be changed, and assess the gap between their
current and required future state.
Identify and assess barriers to change.
Develop strategies and plans that set out the way forward.
Assess the risks and benefits associated with the
strategies and plans and develop contingency
arrangements.
Make sure your plans include short-term ‘wins’ as well as
longer-term deliverables.
Develop systems for monitoring and assessing progress.
Develop a communication strategy for the change process
that allows people to give feedback.
Identify training and support needs and plan how to meet
these.
3
M&LC5
Plan change
Behaviours
You will exhibit the
following
behaviours:
M&LC5 – Plan Change
1 You find practical ways to overcome barriers.
2 You present information clearly, concisely, accurately and
in ways that promote understanding.
3 You are vigilant for potential risks.
4 You give people opportunities to provide feedback and you
respond appropriately.
5 You set demanding but achievable objectives for yourself
and others.
6 You work towards a clearly defined vision of the future.
7 You identify the implications or consequences of a
situation.
4
M&LC5
Plan change
Knowledge and
Understanding
You need to know
and understand:
General knowledge and understanding
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
M&LC5 – Plan Change
The main models and methods for managing change
effectively, and their strengths and weaknesses.
Effective planning techniques.
Theory and application of the change/performance
curve.
Theory and understanding of teams, including an
understanding of team-building techniques and how to
apply them.
How to assess the risks and benefits associated with
strategies and plans.
The importance of contingency planning and how to do
so effectively.
How to make critical decisions.
The political, bureaucratic and resource barriers to
change, and the techniques that deal with these.
Stakeholder expectations and how they influence the
process.
5
M&LC5
Plan change
Knowledge and
Understanding
Industry/sector specific knowledge and understanding
1
You need to know
and understand:
2
3
M&LC5 – Plan Change
Your organisation’s current position in the sector and
market in which it works, compared with its main
competitors, relevant to the change programme.
The range of information sources that are relevant to the
sector, and related sectors, in which your organisation
operates.
Current and emerging political, economic, social,
technological, environmental and legal developments in
the sector and in related sectors.
6
M&LC5
Plan change
Knowledge and
Understanding
You need to know
and understand:
Context specific knowledge and understanding
1
2
3
4
M&LC5 – Plan Change
Your vision for the future, the reasons for change, the
risks and expected benefits.
Business critical activities and interdependencies.
Those factors (for example, strategy, procedures, policies
and structure) that need to be changed, and the
associated priorities and reasons.
Your organisation’s communication channels, both formal
and informal.
7
M&LC5
Plan change
Evidence Requirements
PC
Evidence of Performance Criteria:
 possible examples of evidence
Behaviours
Knowledge and Understanding
Industry Context
General
specific
specific
Reviews of current procedures, systems, structures or roles you have undertaken and proposals for change you have made:

PC1
PC2
PC4
PC1
PC3
PC4
PC5
PC6
PC8
information you have collected and analysed about the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of
current procedures, systems, structures or roles
 meetings you have led to identify problems with current procedures, systems, structures or roles
and possible solutions or changes that need to be made
 reports or proposals you have prepared or presentations you have made, to argue for changes in
procedures, systems, structures or roles, based on our analysis
 feasibility studies, cost-benefit analyses, decision tables and other financial and risk assessments
you have made, and potential barriers to change that you have identified, to determine the likely
success of proposals for change
 personal statement (reflections on your reasons for initiating a change review)
Plans for changes that you have been responsible for producing
 objectives, project and action plans, descriptions of role and responsibilities, Gantt charts, network
diagrams, and other plans for the implementation of changes that you have proposed
 training, coaching, mentoring, counselling and other development and support services you have
proposed for the people affected by the change
 targets, milestones, critical success factors, key performance indicators and other techniques you
have proposed to establish metrics against which to monitor progress
 specifications of systems and procedures you have proposed to monitor performance against
these metrics
M&LC5 – Plan Change
1, 2, 3, 4
1, 9
1, 2, 3
1, 2, 3
1, 2, 4
1, 4, 8, 9
1, 2, 3
1, 2, 3, 4
2, 6, 7
1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9
1, 2, 3
1, 2, 3, 4
2, 3, 7
1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8
-
1, 2, 3
3, 5, 6,7
1, 7, 9
1, 2, 3
1, 2, 3
1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
1, 2, 6, 7, 8
-
1, 2, 3
1, 7
1, 4, 8
3
1, 2, 3
5, 6
2, 3
-
1, 2, 3
4, 7
2
-
2, 3
8
PC
Evidence of Performance Criteria:
 possible examples of evidence
Behaviours
Knowledge and Understanding
Industry Context
General
specific
specific
Plans for ensuring effective communication during the change process:
PC3 
PC6
PC7
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your proposals and plans for team briefings, newsletter, displays, bulletin boards, intranet pages, email lists and other methods for communicating the need for and change and the progress of the
change process
systems you have designed to monitor the effect of the change process on those people affected
and collect feedback on its effectiveness in achieving it goals
M&LC5 – Plan Change
2, 4
1, 9
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4
4
1
-
4
9